This week I read in Ekonomus the news that Puerto Calero celebrates four decades as a company, led by its founder José Calero. In truth, it was not news, but a story of the history and life of this businessman, I understand from the company itself, to celebrate 40 years of sacrifices, risks, and achievements. Branded content. Just that.
And I was saddened that it was like that and I asked myself again something I have always wondered: Where are the streets dedicated to our entrepreneurs? Where are the recognitions for the people who have helped to materialize and advance the progress that we all enjoy today? Let's not be hypocritical, we all know why there are no streets dedicated to our entrepreneurs. For the majority of the population, the business community is seen as the opponent, as the unfair and exploitative boss who is tolerated as a necessary evil, but who is detested from the bottom of their hearts. The damn rich guy.
And the politicians, spokespersons for the general sentiment and afraid to lead, will end up putting street names in favor of soldiers that nobody remembers, of poets that nobody has read and, of course, of other politicians or political entities that did not really achieve anything. With honorable exceptions, the municipal street map is full of people who never did anything for us, the conejeros. Of people who never set foot on our land. And where are the streets dedicated to our entrepreneurs?
That the majority of the population perceives that entrepreneurs "are the bad guys" does not mean that this is so. Anyone with knowledge, regardless of their political affiliation, knows that entrepreneurs take risks and sacrifice their lives to achieve their business objectives and, as a byproduct of this, society as a whole benefits in almost all cases. Anyone with a bit of judgment knows that entrepreneurs, most of the time, fail and go bankrupt. Most of them. That even those who succeed go through important crises from which they have to be reborn again and again.
Therefore, when an entrepreneur manages to survive and can celebrate 40 years of progress, we should all congratulate them. For the survivor and because thanks to their business activity the whole society can enjoy more employment, better services and, as is the case of Puerto Calero, a marina that is iconic for our island and archipelago.
But our streets, and I am talking now to our political leaders, should not bear the names of entrepreneurs only because they have achieved success or relevance, but to point out to the population as a whole that being an entrepreneur is not only something positive, but also desired and deserving of honors and respect. That the more entrepreneurs there are, the better society will be and the better Lanzarote will be. That there are street names in favor of our entrepreneurs, in short, is to clearly establish what is the value system by which our society should be governed.
We can choose for our streets the names of people who have never set foot on the island, or we can choose the names of those people who have sweated, bled and cried to carry out their business projects and who have benefited everyone. People who lived, suffered and dreamed of Lanzarote.
I have an office on Avenida de la Mancomunidad, a name referring to the association of island councils, which is like saying in reference to nothing. Inert bodies that nobody knows and that, per se, have done nothing for us. That is why I demand that this street change its name in favor of Avenida de José Calero. So that when I walk through it, the name does not remind me of nothing, but reminds me of those who gave everything and with their actions managed to make our island reach a better position for all its citizens. And if they became wealthy with it, then better, because they will deserve it.
PS: I do not know José Calero personally and I have no commercial relationship with his companies.